II C I T R F M F ED 023 336 FL 001 035 By -Else, Gerald r Ed. Report of the Colloquium on the Classics in Education, 1965. American Council of Learned Societies, New York, N.Y. Pub Date Jan 66 Note -72p. EDRS Price MF -$050 HC -$3.70 Descriptors -AncientHistory,Classical Languages, Classical Literature, ConferenceReports, Foreign Countries, Grammar, Greek, History Instruction, *InternationalPrograms, Language Instruction, Language Programs, Latin, Teaching Methods This is the report of an international meeting on theClassics, conducted August 1965 in London, England. Resolutions adopted bythe Colloquium, minutes of group sessions, papers, andnational reports on the state of classicaleducation are presented. Group sessions discuss the teachingof classical languages, classical literatures, and ancient history and civilization.Special papers presented on some aspects of these topics includeDavid H. Kelly's "Grammar and Methodology:Kenneth Ouinn's 'The Nature of Literary Documents: andHW.Pleket's 'The Teaching of Ancient History: National reports (Including several inFrench and one in Italian) discuss the currentstateofclassicaleducation in Australiaand NewZealand,Brazil, Czechoslovakia, France, GerMany, Ghana, GreatBritain, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UnitedStates. (AF) U.S, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE DERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY, REPORT OF THE COLLOQUIUM ON THE CLASSICS INEDUCATION 1965 7 7 7.77771,7777-7,71. 77777-7:717.4T.7.77r r - REPORT OF THE COLLOQUIUM ON THE CLASSICS IN EDUCATION 1965 edited by GERALD F. ELSE for the AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES Published January 1966 Additional copies of this reportcan be obtained from Professor Michael C. J. Putnam, Department of Classics, Brown University, Providence 12, Rhode Island, U.S.A.,as long as the supply lasts. FOREWORD What are the present state and future prospects of classical edu- cation, and of the Classics in education, in the world of the1960's? The answers vary enormously from one country and one region to another. The chief nations of Western Europe (including, in this con- text, the United States) have a long humanistic tradition inwhich the history and literature of Greece and Rome still occupy a recognized place; indeed, until not many years ago, the highest place. In all of those same lands, however, the tradition has been attacked, or at least subjected to close scrutiny, and even its validity has been questioned by vdrious critics for various reasons over varying periods of time since the beginning of the century. In some Western European countries classicists are now reviewing, restating, and republishing the valuesof their tradition in modern terms; in others, the recency of competition from other disciplines with other goals has not yet led to creative self- examination and re-evaluation. Meanwhile the modern worldembraces at least two whole continents, Asia and Africa, whichhave at best only slender ties with the Greek and Roman classics; and in a country like Brazil (see below, p. 43) the whole relationship of classical education to modern political and intellectual goals appears, to saythe least, problematical. Above all, massive change is now invading every branch of education in every part of the globe, including even the Classics. Actually no one knows what the total facts are concerning the present status of the Classics in education. Noinstitution, office, or research project exists anywhere which is in possession of them or equipped to learn them. It was in order to make a beginning, to initiate a world-wideconversation on these matters which are of concern to every classicist, that theColloquium on the Classics in Education (full title, Colloquium on the Present State and Future Prospectsof the Classics in Education) was formed. The group first met during the Fourth International Congress of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., August24-29, 1964.Among those who shared the idea and the labor which led to the establishment of the Colloquium were Whitney J. Oates, Howard Comfort, Sir Ronald Syme, and,praeter omnes laudandus, T. R. S. Broughton. The persons invited to take part in the sessions were younger scholars,between 30 and 40 years of age approximately, in the fields of Classics and Ancient History. Three sessions, twoformal and one informal, w ere held during the Congress, the last one on the campus and at the invitation of Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsyl- vania. A total of 33 persons, divided almost equally between Americans (U. S. A.) and representatives of 14 other countries, attended one or more of these sessions. At that time the Colloquium did not attempt to publish ada. It did reach informal agreement, embodied in an unpub- lished "Consensus of the Meeting," that active steps should be taken to teach the classical languages more rapidly and efficiently and to provide new texts and materials for the teaching of classical literature and civilization. Above all, the Colloquium established new contacts and friendships among its members. After the Congress they kept in touch with one another through a newsletter subsidized by Haverford College and edited by one of its faculty, William C. Scott, as Corresponding Secretary. The first meeting of the Colloquium was made possible by travel subventions from the American Council of Learned Societies within the framework of the Fourth International Congress of Classical Studies. It seemed to some of us that the momentum so gained should not be lost. Thanks chiefly to the diplomacy of Professor Oates, the ACLS sub- sequently compounded its generosity by pledging travel and subsistence costs for a second meeting during the summer of 1965, and costs of publication of this report. With corresponding generosity the Institute of Classical Studies of the University of London, through its Director, Professor R. P. Winnington-Ingram, placed its facilities at the disposal of the Colloquium and our meeting was held in the rooms of the Institute at 31-34 Gordon Square in London on 19-22 August 1965. A total of 25 members attended, representing thirteen countries. (For the list of members see pp. 62-66). Administrative responsibility for the meeting, and for this report, was borne by a committee of the American Philological Association consisting of Howard Comfort, W"..itney J. Oates, and the undersigned as Chairman; disbursement of funds was made through the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association, Charles Henderson, Jr. The meeting began with "plenary" sessions at which Brother Kelly and Messrs. Quinn and Pleket presented special papers on the teaching of the classical languages, classical literature, and ancient history and civilization. The Colloquium then broke up into three groups to discuss these questions in greater detail; at the end it reassembled in plenary session to hear reports from the groups and to adopt a series of resolu- tions. For the record of the special sessions we are indebted to the chair- men (Messrs. Janson, Hanson, and Chambersrespectively) and par- ticularly to the recorders (Kelly, Scott, and Connor) of the three groups. It was intended from the beginning that the Colloquium would publish a report of its secondmeeting. That report nowlies before the reader, in five parts: 1) The resolutions of theColloquium; 2) Brief minutes of the discussionsin the three groups; 3) The three special papers; 4) A series of very brief reportsby the members on the stateof classical education in their respectivecountries; 5) The roster of members ofthe Colloquium. It may be asked what authoritythis group of 30-oddmembers has to speak for classical educationaround the globe. The answeris, None. The Colloquium is not an arm or organof any official body. Its members are individuals whospeak for themselves.That is, in fact, its strength and its chiefinterest. Meanwhile there is noother group which has even attempted aworld-wide view of the presentsituation of classical education. The perceptivereader will find in ourresolutions and in the record of ourdiscussions evidence of a deep concernfor the survival and future prosperityof classical studies, seen inglobal per- spective. He will, I think, bestruck by the similarity of theproblems that are now presentingthemselves in many places, andby the amount of agreement that wasreached by the Colloquium.Eminently worth perusal, among these acta, arethe reports of the members onthe present state ofclassical education in theirrespective countries. There is matter here for mediNtionand, in not a few cases, action. The Colloquium does notplan to meet again in theimmediate future. Instead, its membershave pledged themselves towork in their respective countries and partsof the world for therealization of the aims expressed in ourresolutions. We hope to meet again atthe Fifth International Congress ofClassical Studies to be held atBonn, Germany, in August 1969. Meanwhile, tothose who are of like mindwith us we issue an invitation todeclare their solidarity, andeventually to join us in constructive activity inthe common cause. Such messagesshould be addressed to the chairman ofthe Interim Committee ofthe Colloquium, Prof. Michael C. J. Putnam(address below, p. 65). Gerald F. Else Chairman of the Colloquium CONTENTS PAGE I. The Resolutions of the Colloquium . 1 II. Minutes of the Group Sessions 1. On Teaching the Classical Languages . 2 2. On Teaching the Classical Literatures . 4 3. On Teaching Ancient History and Civilization . 8 III. The Three Special Papers 1. Bro. David H. Kelly: "Grammar and Methodology" . 10 2. Kenneth Quinn: "The Nature of Literary Documents" . 15 3. H. W. Pleket: "The Teaching of Ancient History" . .30 IV. The Present State of Classical Education Australia and New Zealand . .42 Brazil . .43 Czechoslovakia . 44 France . .46 Germany . .48 Ghana . 50 Great Britain . 51 Greece . .52 Italy . .53 Japan . .54 The Netherlands. 55 Spain . .56 Sweden. 57 The United States: East . 6 58 West .